Okay, I have to rant about this book. I have mixed feelings after finishing it. And I have some things to say. Like how the hell do you move on when your husband is missing. Like how. Please explain to me. I just would be in an in-between state, not talking to someone else. I just could not understand how Autumn could. I just could not. I know it may be hard since he is missing but that's messy whenever the husband does show up again. And he does in The Bookstore on the Shore. Messy situation. Autumn should have known that this was going to happen. I blame the messy situation on her. She caused, well both of them did.

This is a super fun read. I really enjoyed this one!

Many thanks to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

I had a lot of fun reading on the beach last week even though it was cloudy most days. I decided to read what I thought was a cute beach book, the Bookstore on the Beach by @authorbrendanovak. 🏖

It was so much more! I love reading about a family with secrets, but the Divac family might take the cake. Autumn’s husband went missing 18 months ago and has never been seen again. Her mom and daughter each of secrets of their own. Autumn decides to take her family to Sable Beach, Virginia for the summer to get away from their old lives in Tampa.

Autumn grew up in Sable Beach and quickly runs into her first love, Quinn. She still has feelings for him, but hasn’t properly dealt with her feelings for her missing husband. Is he dead? Should she be mourning him? Her mother Mary is dealing with a major trauma and how to tell her grown daughter about it. Autumn’s daughter has her own secret- she was drunk at a party and slept with the enemy of her brother. She’s concerned she could be pregnant, but she prefers to just ignore the situation and focus on a budding relationship with someone unexpected.

I love the family and all their secrets. In typical fashion, everyone is hiding their dirty laundry from one another and confessing at inappropriate times. The bookstore was a very minor part in this story as the family secrets was definitely the main plot. I will say this is book is a little long, but it was a great book to read on vacation and I recommend it!

Written by Brenda Novak, The Bookstore on the Beach is one of those books that immediately screamed 'summer read' to me. It's one part romance, one part chick lit, and one part women's fiction, which will make it perfect in the minds of many readers.

What do you do when you're seeking closure and comfort? If you're Autumn Divac, you pack up your stuff and your children and head back to your beachside hometown for the summer. Here she has family and comforting memories to help her cope with the reality of her situation.

That reality is a missing husband with no idea how to move on without him. Not that she has much choice. Life must go on, as they say, and her children need her.

“And the thought of revealing the past, seeing it all through her daughter's eyes, made Mary feel ill.”

The Bookstore on the Beach is a novel that will tug on the heartstrings of its readers, forcing us to feel for Autumn as she deals with the unthinkable. While we'd all like to imagine that we would never find ourselves in her footsteps (missing husband and all), there was something so natural and so human about the way she struggled and fought to cope with it all.

I was surprised by the number of different storylines that ran through The Bookstore on the Beach. I went into this read expecting an easy and smooth read. I was very much surprised by what I got – and not in a bad way.

This novel handles trauma and loss beautifully, portraying a family dealing with a tragedy – and worse, a disaster that comes with no real sense of closure. It felt so raw and honest, almost too real in some places.

The inclusion of the bookstore scenes added a touch of nostalgia for me, a sense that was likely picked up by the way it was portrayed. This store is part of Autumn's past, and it could easily have been any bookstore that any reader had visited while they were younger.

A lot of books in this genre center on a family secret that is revealed once said family is all together in the same place and can hash everything out.
This book has that, but on steroids. Seriously, pretty much every character in this book has at least one secret they’re hiding from the rest of the family.
These range from run-of-the-mill teen problems to troubled pasts to international espionage.
Seriously, there’s A LOT going on in this book.
In spite of this, I think the author did an admirable job of weaving everything together into a coherent plot.
I was most interested in the grandmother’s story because I thought that had the most depth to it. It also went the furthest to explaining her present-day actions. Although, to some it might be farfetched.
To this, I think the reason that Autumn returned to beach was more of a reach. But that’s a personal opinion (obviously). It’s not that there was anything wrong with that storyline, but it didn’t work for me. Especially the way it all plays out in the end.
I also thought the same with Taylor’s storyline. While it was engaging and contemporary, it seemed a little bit forced and a lot for her (as a character) to deal with. Just one of the issues she was facing would have been fine.
In re-reading this, it appears as if I didn’t like the book, but that’s wrong. I did. I was engaged in the family drama and definitely interested in how everything was going to work out.
I just felt a little tired by it all because there was so much going on for each of the characters.
And I really thought that the bookstore would play more of a part in the whole thing, given that it’s in the title. As it was (again, to me) it was merely the setting and had very little further function.
I may have missed it due to the details of the characters’ lives, but I wanted more about how special the bookstore was.
I would recommend this book for the detailed family drama and interesting plot threads.

When I think of romance, I think of books just like this one, that gives all the feels and satisfies every romance junkies' heart. This is a perfect books to snuggle up with on any day. Brenda Novak is one of the best and a definite 1-click for me.

When Autumn's husband, Nick, disappears in the Ukraine and her two year search seems hopeless, Autumn escapes to her childhood home at the beach for some respite. As her children acclimate to the beach lifestyle, Autumn enjoys time with her mother and aunt, trying to heal her injured soul. After finally accepting that Nick is never coming home, Autumn reconnects with an old friend, Quinn, and the story begins.

Novak's book is a light, summer read. Although I enjoyed it, there are three major plot lines going on that I feel is at least one too many. I would like to have seen the story develop a little more fully and maybe not go in so many different directions. While the characters were likable and relatable, the ending was extremely abrupt.

If you are looking for a summer read, I would recommend picking up The Bookstore on the Beach. Thank you NetGalley for an arc of Novak's newest book.

A classic Brenda Novak book that is a great beach read! The perfect book to relax on a rainy day! I can't wait for more.

I absolutely LOVED the title of this book. I mean, who among you bookies and beach lovers would not want to have a bookstore on the beach? That would be the ultimate dream for me!

The story was really good, a Mom brings her two kiddos to her Moms place for the summer while mourning her husband. Her husband who’s been gone for two years but, it’s unknown if he’s dead. He disappeared doing a mission and she hasn’t been able to find out any information about him. While visiting Sable Beach, she sees her first love and tried her hardest to not fall for him but, that doesn’t happen. Quinn has always had an effect on her and she’s so lonely she can’t resist. Love is a powerful thing…

I definitely enjoyed this read, loved the characters and their personalities. It’s a wonderful beach read, no pun intended haha. Special thanks to Brenda, Harlequin and NetGalley for the review copy!

Review will be posted on 5/27/21
Autumn's husband has gone missing while at work. She hasn't stopped looking for him, but she wonders if maybe it's time to move forward just a little as it's been a year and a half. She has two teenage children to think about. So, she decides to take her kids home for the summer and see her mother. Autumn grew up in a gorgeous coastal town in Virginia, so she is excited to have her kids experience a small town community and spend time with her mother, Mary. Her mother owns a bookstore right on the beach, so this adds further charm to the beachy community. Once at home, Autumn finds out her ex-boyfriend, Quinn, is also back in town and newly divorced. He isn't home for good reasons though. His mother is battling cancer, so he is obviously there to support her. When Autumn reconnects with Quinn, sparks fly, but could they really give their relationship another chance with the amount of baggage they both have? Then there's Autumn's kids, Taylor and Caden. Taylor is harboring some major secrets this summer and we are talking major. Then there's Mary, the grandmother, who is also withholding family secrets that would impact Autumn greatly, but she can't tell her any of it with all she is going through. Looks like this is going to be anything but a quiet summer at Sable Beach. Brenda Novak's The Bookstore on the Beach isn't your quiet beach read. It's filled to the brim with family secrets and shocking drama.

At first, I really liked the character of Autumn in The Bookstore at the Beach. Despite all she has been through, she returns home to get away from things and center herself back in Sable Beach. I absolutely LOVED the idea of a bookstore on the beach and really enjoyed those parts of the novel where Autumn would help out at the store as well as describe the close-knit community of Sable Beach. I also saw the budding relationship with Quinn coming from a mile away despite all the drama surrounding the two. To clarify, Autumn's husband is still missing and was working with the FBI and Quinn's ex-wife tried to kill him. I'm not kidding. So, we aren't dealing with a drama free relationship here.

The chapters also include many from Taylor's point of view. Again, at first I really liked how Novak included many generations in The Bookstore on the Beach, but quickly it got serious for Taylor. Taylor is dealing with a lot of issues this summer. She isn't just lounging in the sun meeting new friends and possibly catching up on summer reading. Oh, no. She is dealing with teen pregnancy, sexuality questions, and even friends who have abusive fathers. I mean it's some serious stuff. As I was reading, I kept checking the cover of the book, because I don't think the cover accurately reflects the actual plot.

And if you didn't think there could be further drama in The Bookstore at the Beach, there is. Mary, the grandmother, is also hiding secrets. These aren't your usual grandmother secrets. Once again, Novak really goes over the top and let's just say the secrets surround Autumn's birth. These secrets we are privy to as Novak includes some chapters narrated by her as well. It's quite the soap opera if you ask me. Once the private investigator comes to town, I knew Novak was going to pile on even more drama.

So, if this is the kind of beach read you like - one that is overflowing with outlandish drama much like an oversized tropical cocktail they serve at all-inclusive resorts, then dive right in. I listened to the audio version and I will say I was hooked, because it was so unbelievable. That made for a nice escape, but just not one the type I was hoping for. Maybe it's me, because Publishers Weekly gave The Bookstore on the Beach a starred review, but I just wasn't sold.

So, are you a fan of Brenda Novak? Have you read her other novels? Have you read The Bookstore on the Beach? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

Autumn is a great mother filled with grief. She doesn't know what her next step should be and doesn't see much hope in getting her husband back. Even though there hasn't been a body found, she doesn't see a way that he is still alive. She sets off to see her mother in her hometown, she misses her mom and her mom refuses to travel. Upon setting foot in her hometown, she comes upon her lost love from her teenage years and her mom is at risk of a life changing secret coming out. As the two of them navigate their grief and confronting their pasts, they make great memories with Autumns kiddos, especially with her daughter holding yet another secret and her son navigating new friends at the beach. I can't give the ending away, but it blew me away. Very entertaining book.

The Bookstore on the Beach by Brenda Novak is a contemporary romance with a bit of mystery on the side. This one is a standalone from the author who has several long running series. Having read several books by Brenda Novak in the past I was quite excited to get to read this one and knew I’d be in for an exciting ride.

Autumn Divac had been happily married for a number of years to a loving husband and a mother to two wonderful children. That happy family life came to a crashing halt when Autumn’s husband had left for business to never return. Now eighteen months later Autumn is exhausted from following leads to only find a dead end in learning the whereabouts of her missing husband with every sign pointing to him not having survived.

Autumn knows that not only for the sake of her two teenage children but for her own mental health she needs to begin to move on and let go of the past. Autumn decides her best bet would be to pack up her children and head to her childhood home for the summer to visit family and clear her head. When Autumn comes across her old high school crush she remembers those old feelings and wonders if she could move on.

One thing I know will come with a novel from this author is solid writing that will pull a reader into the story and that was just what I found with The Bookstore on the Beach. I couldn’t help but feel for Autumn and her whole family as I learned of their past and where they were in their lives. I also love a good second chance story and that is what you found with this one too. I wasn’t quite sure if I would’ve included the twist at the end myself so this one wasn’t quite five stars this time but I still enjoyed it all the same.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

For me this one was kinda iffy. I loved parts of it but parts of it felt like it was too much. I think if the story lines of what happened to Mary in the past and what was happening with Autumn had been separated into two novels it would have been better. It felt like there was a bit too much drama squished into one book. I also would have loved more at the end, it felt like it ended abruptly. Even with all of that I had a hard time putting it down as it was a great story overall.

This was my first time reading Brenda Novak. I was engrossed in it from the get go. Her writing style makes the storyline flow. She has great character development and each one has a life changing decision to make. There are some twists and turns that were unexpected as well. The town of Sable Beach adds a heartwarming touch, especially if you love coastal settings. Truthfully this book has it all and would be the perfect book to pack into your beach bag. Thank you NetGalley for the copy, all opinions are my own. #NetGalley #TheBookstoreOnTheBeach

A new novel by Brenda Novak is always a major cause for celebration and in The Bookstore on the Beach, she has penned an uplifting, life-affirming and emotional read that brought tears to my eyes, made me smile and lifted my spirits.

Eighteen months ago, the rug had been well and truly pulled out from under Autumn Divac’s feet when her husband had gone missing. Autumn has moved heaven and earth trying to find her husband, but as all her attempts to find him have proved groundless, she has had to resign herself to the fact that he simply didn’t want to be found. Autumn has two teenage children who rely on her and she must resist every single attempt to crumble under pressure and try her hardest to move on with her life – even if the thought of doing so breaks her heart. In desperate need for sanctuary and escape, Autumn decides to take the kids back home to the beachside town where she was raised. Will Autumn finally find the strength to begin a new chapter in her life? Or does she need to close the book on the past and her marriage first?

Autumn finds great solace in working at her mother and aunt’s bookshop, however, she quickly realizes that she cannot simply escape between the pages of her favorite books because she has other problems and issues to deal with that require her attention. Autumn discovers that her mother has been hiding a terrible secret from her for years while her daughter is also facing a huge life change. Autumn needs to be there for her family, so the last thing she wants or needs is to run into the boy who had stolen her heart in high school…

Will Autumn find the courage and strength to finally lay old ghosts to rest? Or is she still holding out hope that her husband might come back to her?

I love Brenda Novak and in The Bookstore on the Beach she has truly outdone herself. Written with so much hope and heart, The Bookstore on the Beach is a brilliantly written tale about renewal, second chances, family ties and healing that I just couldn’t tear myself away from. Brenda Novak has such a wonderful gift for characterization that I hated having to say goodbye to Autumn and all the lovely people who people this brilliantly written page-turner.

Whether she is writing contemporary romance, women’s fiction or suspense, Brenda Novak’s name alone is a surefire guarantee of quality storytelling and in The Bookstore on the Beach she continues to affirm her standing as an absolute superstar.

What a book full of twists and turns! The narrator brought the story to life and had me intrigued from the beginning. A great read that will leave a smile on your face.

The Bookstore on the Beach is one of those beach reads, set in a sleepy beach town that has a lot of personal and family drama. There was some mystery aspects with the husband's actual disappearance (not just disappearing from their lives) and some sensitive topics. Even with the drama and slightly heavier events, it was still such a great summer read. Plus, I had the personal added bonus of it taking place locally to me and my hometown got a few shout outs!

The Bookstore on the Beach by Brenda Novak meets all of the criteria for a great summer read. Three generations of women each face their own dilemma and make choices that will come to influence all of their lives.

Autumn's husband went to work 18 months ago, and has not been heard from since. She knows he was last seen overseas, but she is unable to find out anything about his whereabouts. She makes the decision to return to her hometown and her mother for the summer along with her teenage children. Life gets complicated because of family secrets, old friends and the worry about her husband. Will Autumn finally agree along with everyone else that Nick is not coming home?

I feel like I have to preface this review with I have read many Brenda Novak books and loved each and every one of them. This one however was not my cup of tea. I struggled with character connection and the plot line. It had a great idea behind it, but it just had every single thing you could think of thrown into and the kitchen sink and it was just over done for me. Missing husband check, old high school romance check, psycho ex check, busy body in everyone’s business check, cancer patient check, someone questioning their sexuality check, underage pregnancy check, parent with super secret background story check, etc. etc. etc. Maybe if it would’ve had one or two and gone with it, I could’ve gotten more into the story. This book did have some fine moments between the characters that I did like, but for the most part it took me way to long to get through. Usually with Novak’s work I can hardly put it down and just love reading it in one day. As with any book I do not connect to, it may just be me so if you feel like this may be the book for you go ahead and pick it up, it just wasn’t for me this go around. I will still be recommending Brenda Novak to everyone.

Thank you to Brenda Novak and HQN for a copy in lieu of my honest review.